The Spirit of the Rose
The first rays of sunlight etched across the sky and began the new day. The Dragon Peak mountain towered above the small village of the Dragonite people. In the middle of the village was a small pond. The surface of the seaweed green water was still. As the spidery hands of sunlight touched the water, something that looked like a supple vine rose slowly our of the water, swaying like a snake moving to the sound of a snake charmer's flute. It grew to about knee-height and stopped. Then, bright red petals started to stretch outwards, unfurling itself to create a single red rose in the midst of the water.
*** Movement started in the village as the sun rose higher into the sky and its warmth spread across the land. The people had woken and started their day, eating breakfast and then going to tend to the crops in the fields. It was only until noon that the people realised that a rose had grew from the waters of their sacred pond. They believed that their god had brought such beauty and miracle in their village, so they took great care in making sure the flower did not wilt. The carpenter of the village built a small pergola-like structure that could give sunlight as well as shelter to the rose. Day by day, the flower grew until it was half a metre tall and its petals became a deep, blood-red shade.
*** It had been a month since the birth of the rose and the village was gathered that morning in a religion service around the point. The priest was talking about the legend of Dragon Peak.
"This great mountain that stands high above our village
was created many thousands of years ago by our god
to bring fresh rivers of water down to our village and
serve as protection from the wild creatures on the
other side. However, of all beasts, the dragon could not
be kept away form our village. It had soared from the
summit every hundred years to bring death and destruction
to Dragonite. If this legend is true, then next year. terror
will be upon us."
Immediately after these words, a piercing white light engulfed the rose and carried it high into the air. The light swirled uncertainly above the gaspin crowd. It lowered down in front of the village people who were huddled closely next to a building and formed a white portal that looked like a mass of billowing clouds. Suddenly, a figure could be seen across the surface of the portal. It was walking towards the stunned group who were murmuring in low voices to one another but their eyes were still on the figure, mesmerised by the inexplicable and miraculous sight. The figure emerged from the portal. It was a beautiful young woman. She had a pair of large, brown eyes and hair that was tinged with red that swept down across her shoulders. She wore a flowing, silky red gown, the colour of the rose. The woman was the rose; the spirit of the rose.
*** The people called the spirit Sakura and she became part of the village. She helped in the fields, with the women's sewing, and also went to gather fruits. Sakura had many powers and abilities that helped the people in their daily lives. Time went on and exactly a year had passed. The legend would be divulged. Was it true? Or was it just an old folk tale? That evening, after the men had returned from the fields with their harvest, smoke was rising up from Dragon Peak. The village gathered around the pond and sat and watched was happening. The smoke grew thicker until suddenly, there was a thunderous roar and an explosion of thick ash shot into the sky. The ground was shaking, people were screaming and children were crying. Sakura saw that lava was already bubbling to the surface of Dragon Peak and knew that the whole of Dragonite would be swallowed by it. Amongst the bedlam in the village she flew upwards towards the summit. Lava was spilling rapidly from the volcano. To save the village, she would have to sacrifice herself. Her powers would be enough to silence the destructive anger of Dragon Peak forever. Sakura dived straight down to the heart of the volcano. The effect was instant. Dragon Peak froze like ice. Lava flows halted in their paths and the shaking had ceased. And in the sudden calmness, a shower of roses fell from the sky.
The first rays of sunlight etched across the sky and began the new day. The Dragon Peak mountain towered above the small village of the Dragonite people. In the middle of the village was a small pond. The surface of the seaweed green water was still. As the spidery hands of sunlight touched the water, something that looked like a supple vine rose slowly our of the water, swaying like a snake moving to the sound of a snake charmer's flute. It grew to about knee-height and stopped. Then, bright red petals started to stretch outwards, unfurling itself to create a single red rose in the midst of the water.
*** Movement started in the village as the sun rose higher into the sky and its warmth spread across the land. The people had woken and started their day, eating breakfast and then going to tend to the crops in the fields. It was only until noon that the people realised that a rose had grew from the waters of their sacred pond. They believed that their god had brought such beauty and miracle in their village, so they took great care in making sure the flower did not wilt. The carpenter of the village built a small pergola-like structure that could give sunlight as well as shelter to the rose. Day by day, the flower grew until it was half a metre tall and its petals became a deep, blood-red shade.
*** It had been a month since the birth of the rose and the village was gathered that morning in a religion service around the point. The priest was talking about the legend of Dragon Peak.
"This great mountain that stands high above our village
was created many thousands of years ago by our god
to bring fresh rivers of water down to our village and
serve as protection from the wild creatures on the
other side. However, of all beasts, the dragon could not
be kept away form our village. It had soared from the
summit every hundred years to bring death and destruction
to Dragonite. If this legend is true, then next year. terror
will be upon us."
Immediately after these words, a piercing white light engulfed the rose and carried it high into the air. The light swirled uncertainly above the gaspin crowd. It lowered down in front of the village people who were huddled closely next to a building and formed a white portal that looked like a mass of billowing clouds. Suddenly, a figure could be seen across the surface of the portal. It was walking towards the stunned group who were murmuring in low voices to one another but their eyes were still on the figure, mesmerised by the inexplicable and miraculous sight. The figure emerged from the portal. It was a beautiful young woman. She had a pair of large, brown eyes and hair that was tinged with red that swept down across her shoulders. She wore a flowing, silky red gown, the colour of the rose. The woman was the rose; the spirit of the rose.
*** The people called the spirit Sakura and she became part of the village. She helped in the fields, with the women's sewing, and also went to gather fruits. Sakura had many powers and abilities that helped the people in their daily lives. Time went on and exactly a year had passed. The legend would be divulged. Was it true? Or was it just an old folk tale? That evening, after the men had returned from the fields with their harvest, smoke was rising up from Dragon Peak. The village gathered around the pond and sat and watched was happening. The smoke grew thicker until suddenly, there was a thunderous roar and an explosion of thick ash shot into the sky. The ground was shaking, people were screaming and children were crying. Sakura saw that lava was already bubbling to the surface of Dragon Peak and knew that the whole of Dragonite would be swallowed by it. Amongst the bedlam in the village she flew upwards towards the summit. Lava was spilling rapidly from the volcano. To save the village, she would have to sacrifice herself. Her powers would be enough to silence the destructive anger of Dragon Peak forever. Sakura dived straight down to the heart of the volcano. The effect was instant. Dragon Peak froze like ice. Lava flows halted in their paths and the shaking had ceased. And in the sudden calmness, a shower of roses fell from the sky.